Slumber
by apostleofanime
Summary: Obito isn't crushed in Stone. Rin still dies. When all you ever wanted is gone, how do you move forward? Can understanding be reached with blood covered hands? AU. Slowest of slow burns.
1. Wait

_Well, I am pretty dang proud of myself. It's been awhile since I have been able to sit down and write anything of substantial length. Here we go! This will be a multi chapter fic. It is an AU, in which Obito was not crushed by rocks in Iwa, but Kakashi still had to kill Rin. It is the slowest of slow burns. They are traumatized 13 years olds in the beginning, after all. I'm not putting romance in for a while. Let me know what you think of the characterization. I find Obito somewhat difficult to write, as I am chaging everything that made him the crazy plant dude we know and love._

* * *

It was raining.

It had been raining on the day she died (the day Kakashi killed her), as well. It angered Obito more than it really should. He felt like it was some kind of scene out of one of those crappy corner store novels, rain during a funeral. Would have gone with some kind of description of tears watering the earth, or something equally trite.

He felt tears begin to slide down his cheeks, the heat a stark contrast to the cold rain falling around him. Various black clad figures walked by him as the service ended, friends from the academy and jonin alike giving him small gestures of caring, a squeeze on the arm or pat on the head. He couldn't bring himself to respond, couldn't tear hiss eyes away from the freshly dug earth where Rin's body lay, deep in the ground.

Eventually Minato sensei and Kushina got him to leave the grave, brought him back to their apartment, despite his protests that he wanted to be alone. They filled him with tea and Kushina shoved bowlfuls of stew at him. He ate them, despite his knotted stomach and her less than amazing cooking skills. After a few attempts at small talk from Kushina (which ended in awkward silence), Minato spoke.

"Get any word from 'kashi?"

Obito stiffened, his jaw clenching.

"No." He answered, his voice tight. He heard Minato sigh deeply.

"I wonder where he is…."

Obito snorted, despite himself. "Who knows? Probably off killing something, he's so good at it."

"Obito!" Minato's voice rang across the table, sharp and angry. Obito didn't look at him, electing to pick bits of skin off of his finger, watching his cuticles bleed.

(Rin used to heal his hands for him.)

He didn't need to look up to know he was being glared at.

"You really think that Kakashi wanted this? You think he did this on purpose? He didn't want Rin hurt any more than you did. She made a choice. She chose to save this village. She gave her life for her people, and I will not let you shame her bravery." Minato said, his voice cold, the kind of tone he only ever used in battle or when threatening an enemy.

Obito stood from the table. He was, in all honesty, too tired to fight.

"Thank you for the food, Kushina-san. I'll be going now." He said, leaving the table.

He heard her call after him, but ignored it.

He just wanted to go home.

He made his way out of the apartment, down the winding streets of the village, and up the side of the mountain to where the compound lay.

He knew that the Hatake compound was on the other side, but he doubted Kakashi was there.

When he reached the gates, he walked undisturbed past the guards. The compound was mostly silent, everyone asleep and indoors, no one outside but a few on patrol. His house was west of the gate, where the other single person houses lay, full of widows and those too committed to their work to marry. And Obito.

He unlocked the door, fumbling in the rain. It was dry inside, and when he walked in he saw that someone (probably Mikoto) had left him a bowl of stew, and a plate of his favorite dumplings.

He walked right past them, and pulled his futon from the cupboard. Pulling off his funeral clothes, he collapsed right onto it, falling asleep immediately.

* * *

Obito was awoken the next morning by knocking at the door. He blinked at it blearily, before pulling himself upright and going to answer it. He was greeting by his sensei, looking exponentially less like a ray of sunshine than usual.

"Morning, Obito. He have a mission, we've run out of days off." He said, making an obvious attempt to sound cheerful. Obito appreciated the effort, as bad as it was.

"Right." He said, sounding noticeably groggy. "I'll be out in a minute, just let me change."

He closed the door, and went to go put on his new mission clothes. He had decided to just start wearing his chunin flak jacket, keeping only his orange goggles from his old outfit.

His obsession with bright colours seemed pretty stupid, now.

As he was strapping on his holster, and thought crossed his mind that made him freeze.

He had a mission.

A team mission.

A team mission that meant Kakashi was going to be there.

Well, shit. What was he supposed to do with that? What was he supposed to say to him? 'Hey, how's it going, stick your hand through any more chests recently?'

Should he say anything at all? He would have to at some point, unless one of them died within the next few hours. Which, Obito thought, was not entirely unlikely, and may not be entirely unpleasant.

With a sigh, he went back outside, and followed Minato out of the compound, all the way down to the village gates. A familiar shock of silver hair was waiting for them, and Obito felt his gut tighten.

Kakashi looked different. His old blue headband was gone, replaced by a black one with extra fabric to be tilted down over his right eye (what was left of it, anyhow.) His old metal armguards were gone, replaced by new ones that came in one piece rather than separate rectangles of metal. Of course his old chakra blade was gone, courtesy of the same Iwagakure shinobi who claimed his eye.

Obito didn't feel guilty about the eye, anymore.

"Are we leaving?" Kakashi said, his voice as blank as ever, with that same vague undertone of annoyance.

Obito grit his teeth. It angered him just to hear Kakashi talk.

"Yeah, I'll brief you two on the way, it's nothing complicated. No front line work today." Minato said, leading them out of the gate. Obito walked behind Kakashi, glaring at his back.

Minato explained the mission as they walked, and Obito tried to pay attention. They were going towards the north border of fire country, to have a "discussion" (which would probably end in violence because Obito's life sucked) with a small time war lord about some trades. Minato was going to debate, Obito and Kakashi were there as backup in case things went sour.

It was going to be a two or three day mission, but they would only be travelling for about six hours each way. Which, in Obito's opinion, was twelve hours longer then he wanted to spend on the road with Kakashi anyway.

They walked for about three hours before stopping to eat. For once it wasn't crappy field rations, as Kushina had packed them some onigiri and fried tofu. Definitely better than the instant field rations they usually had on missions (and which were, as far as he could tell, the only thing Kakashi ate when left to his own devices.)

They ate quickly, and kept walking. They made it to the manor of the lord about an hour before nightfall, and Obito still hadn't spoken to Kakashi, Kakashi hadn't spoken at all, and Minato had given up on trying to make any form of conversation with the two of them.

The house was huge, and they were given a large guest room with three thick futons already laid out on the ground, and assurance that food was being brought to them. After laying down his things in the room, Minato left to begin speaking with the lord of the house, and giving Kakashi and Obito leave for the rest of the evening. Meaning that they were left alone in the large room, which was slowly being permeated by the most awkward silence Obito had ever experienced.

"I'll take the first watch." Kakashi eventually said, after meticulously laying out and repacking his weapons and supplies.

"No." Obito said, quickly. Too quickly. He saw Kakashi's visible silver eyebrow raise.

"Fine. You take it then. Don't fall asleep again." Kakashi said, his voice blank.

Obito was suddenly very uncomfortable. "No, I- I'm sleeping outside. Need air."

He really, really didn't want to be asleep at the same time as Kakashi. Or in the same room. Or be vulnerable in any way around Kakashi. Not while the image of his team mate sticking his hand through Rin's chest was still fresh in his mind. Obito grabbed his back and sleeping roll, and quickly made his way out of the sliding door, slamming it behind him.

Obito breathed in the cool night air, glad to be out of the room.

God, what was he supposed to do? How could he be on a team with Kakashi? It might be easier, he supposed, if the guy showed anything approaching emotion. If he was in some kind of distress over the fact that he had killed his supposed friend. It seemed like he didn't care, and Obito didn't know how he was supposed to deal with that.

He eventually settled down on the balcony outside the room, spreading his bedroll out on the floor. It pained him to abandon the luxurious futons that the manor had provided, but at least he could spread his bed roll on even ground.

Obito slept fitfully that night, awaking several times. If Kakashi had stuck to his plan of keeping watch, he never woke Obito up. Maybe the guy didn't sleep? Who knew any more.

He awoke the next morning sore and stiff. Stretching and yawning, Obito gathered up his things and stood outside the door to the room. With a deep breath, he opened the door and stepped in.

Kakashi was seated on the bed, shirtless and wrapping combat bandages around one wrist.

"Have a comfortable night?" Kakashi says, not turning around. Obito takes satisfaction in the fact that the gash across his shoulder blade from the Kiri mission hasn't entirely healed.

"Yes." Obito replies, indignant. "Are we meeting sensei this morning?"

Kakashi nodded, and pulled his shirt on. "If this morning's discussions go well then we leave tonight."

Obito didn't, electing to leave the room in search of Minato. After wandering around for a while, he made his way to the great hall of the manor, where sensei and the lard of the house appeared to be talking and eating breakfast.

"Ah, Obito! Lord Fujian and I were just preparing to wrap up our discussions from yesterday. We should be on the road by this afternoon." Minato said, as he noticed Obito enter. Before he could respond, Obito was pulled forward by a girl in a decorative kimono, and led to the table, were a tray of food was put in front of him.

"Um, thanks? He said, as the girl smiled and bowed, before leaving the hall. He turned to Minato. "So we go home today?"

Minato nodded. "Yeah, this afternoon. Mind telling Kakashi?"

Obito sighed. He should have known Minato would find some reason for Obito to have to talk to Kakashi, and he knew there was no way to get out of it without being rude in front of the Lord.

"Yeah. Fine." Obito said. He then focused on devouring his breakfast, therefore halting any further conversation directed at him. A few minutes later, Kakashi entered the Hall.

"Ah, good morning, 'Kashi! I was just going to ask Obito to go get you. Since you're here, I can tell you, we are leaving this afternoon.

"I see." Kakashi replied, not chastising Minato for using his nickname on a mission, like he usually would.

Obito glowered at the polished oak table as Kakashi sat down in front of him.

"You two should stay for the rest of the talks." Minato said, after their trays had been cleared off. "It will be good for you both to get a taste of how real politics work."

Obito refrained from mentioning how the actual likelihood of either he or Kakashi needing that knowledge any time soon was incredibly slim, given the fact that their generation had the highest mortality rate of any since the Uchiha-Senju wars. That comment would only be met with a disappointed sigh, which he didn't want.

He resigned himself to talks of trade for the next few hours.

As promised, the talks finished by early afternoon, and they were packed up and on the road shortly after. The trip back to the village was uneventful; Minato attempted small talk, Obito ignored Kakashi, Kakashi walked ahead and ignored everything. Same as most trips were, really, except-

Without Rin.

Obito wondered when her absence would stop hitting him like a punch to the gut multiple times daily. When every little thing would stop reminding him of her. Gods, he hoped it would be soon.

It was getting dark when they finally made it back into the village.

"Hey, you two want to grab some ramen with me? I bet Ichiraku's is still open." Minato said after they left the security check at the gates. Without reply, Kakashi walked away.

Deciding to not be that much of a jerk, Obito turned to his sensei.

"Actually, Minato sensei, I think I'm just going to turn in early tonight. I'm pretty tired." Obito replied.

"Oh. Well, next time then." Minato said, smiling.

Obito gave what he hoped was a convincing smile back, and turned around, heading in the direction of the Uchiha compound.

If nothing else, he wouldn't have to sleep outside.

* * *

Obito didn't see Kakashi again for the next few days. Apparently he had been taken off of combat duty for the next week, until he got used to fighting with one eye.

Obito, for his part, had spent the time training. He knew that they would be back on active duty as soon as Kakashi was deemed remotely capable of aiming accurately. He had found a good training partner in Hayate, who was also off duty until Raidou's leg healed.

The two of them had always gotten along in the academy, neither of them ever considered particularly gifted. Obito liked hanging out with Hayate. His dry sense of humor took getting used to, but once you did his sarcastic comments were hilarious.

Plus, he didn't look at Obito sadly or try to be sympathetic, which was refreshing.

It was on one of his days heading to a training field with Genma, five days into team seven's suspension, that he saw Kakashi again. He was in the field that Obito and Hayate had been using for the past while, throwing kunai at a target with accuracy that someone with one eye really shouldn't have.

Hayate made a small huffing sound and prepared to leave, but Obito grabbed his arm.

"C'mon, this is our field. We've been using it all week." He said, tugging on his friend's arm.

"It doesn't matter, there are lots of fields. Side's, isn't he training to deal with his injury? We shouldn't interrupt." Hayate replied, sounding mildly confused as to why Obito wanted to stop Kakashi.

"Yeah, well, I like this field." He said, and before Hayate could reply, Obito strode out.

"Oi, Kakashi! Me and Hayate are using this field, so you have to leave!" Obito called, making his way towards Kakashi.

The silver haired boy stopped tossing kunai, and turned towards Obito.

"I was here first." He said, his voice blank, as usual.

"Yeah, well, we've been using this field all week. Go get a new one." Obito said, his tone becoming more aggressive, as he stepped closer.

"No. I'm staying here." Kakashi replied, his tone remaining even.

"I _said_ get a new fucking field, you bastard!" Obito yelled, his annoyance beginning to broil over. He didn't even know why he was so mad. He felt like all the anger he had felt towards Kakashi in the past two weeks was spilling over into this trivial thing.

"And if I don't?" Kakashi replied, his eye narrowing. "What will you do?"

Now, Obito had always been more prone to action then to words. So, faced with this adversity, he took what he felt was the most appropriate option, and punched Kakashi across the face as hard as he could.

* * *

Obito held the bag of ice to his face, and slumped into his chair. Hayate had pulled him off of Kakashi, but not before Obito and Kakashi had a black eye each. Now, Obito was back home, most definitely not sulking while Shisui made a pot of tea.

Obito had run into Shisui on his way home, and his cousin's mother hen instincts had kicked in. Obito wanted to point out that he was four years older than his cousin, but refrained from doing so. At least Shisui hadn't dragged Itachi along. Getting doted on by a three year old was nothing short of humiliating.

"So, why did you punch Kakashi?" Shisui asked, walking into the room with two cups of tea.

"I told you, he took my field." Obito replied, his voice sullen.

"Yeah, but you didn't punch him because of that." Shisui said, sounding unimpressed.

After a minute or so of Shisui staring at him disapprovingly from across the table, Obito scowled. "Look, you know what? I'm not going to let you lecture me. He pissed me off, I hit him. It's not something you need to pick apart."

Shisui's eyebrow quirked up. God, his mother hen streak was irritating.

"Fine. I have to get home. Try not to get into more fights, okay?" Shisui said, standing up from the table.

"Yes mom." Obito grumbled. He listed to Shisui leave, the stood up himself.

His face hurt.

He considered heading to the bath house, but decided against it. He opted to just get changed and go to bed, rather than get questioned by anyone at the bathhouse, and inevitably getting a speech about representing the clan, and he just couldn't handle that.

Just as Obito was about to climb into bed, there was a knock on the door. With a sigh, he went to answer it, only to find Kakashi on the other side.

"The hell do you want?" Obito said. He didn't exactly feel like being polite, even if Kakashi's good eye was now somewhat swollen.

"We have a mission." Kakashi replied. If he was pissed at Obito, he was hiding it well.

"Aren't you on leave?"

"Taken off. They're short on teams, and we got called. We need to be at the hokage tower in forty- five minutes." Kakashi replied. "I'll meet you there."

He left before Obito could reply.

Man, he had really just wanted to sleep.

Obito arrived at the tower only ten minutes late, which he considered to be pretty good, all things considered.

"Obito. Nice of you to join us." The hokage said, his sarcasm obvious. "Now that you are both here, I will brief you on the mission." He pulled out a file from his desk, and pushed it forward.

"Two days ago, three chunin were deployed to the northern border, where they were meant to retrieve a scroll from the ANBU team manning the border. However, they did not return last night, which was when they were expected to return. You two are being sent to the border to check for anything amiss. If you do not return within the next two days, a search party will be sent out. " Sarutobi finished.

"Understood." Kakashi replied, flipping through the mission parameters and maps before handing them off to Obito, who quickly activated his Sharingan to record the maps.

"Okay." Obito said, his Sharingan fading out. "Let's go, then."

Predictably, they weren't too far into the mission when things went wrong.

A kunai came flying towards Obito's left side, which he quickly deflected with his own.

"Shit, already?" He muttered, cursing under his breath.

"Looks like Hidden Stone craftsmanship, said Kakashi, picking up the blade.

"Yeah, well, that's why we're here." Obito replied, as three more kunai came at him from the bushes. "Rock fuckers….. Get out here!"

"That probably won't help." Kakashi said, sending a kunai towards the bush, where it landed with a thunk and a yelp.

"Yeah well, you aren't improving things much!" Obito replied, as two Stone ninja came out of the foliage behind them, and three from in front.

Obito bit his lip, as Kakashi sighed audibly.

"Well, let's get it done then." He said.

Obit moves first, partly because the man in front of him started twitching forwards, and partly because he wanted to move before Kakashi did

One of the shinobi in front of Obito darted forward, unsheathing a tanto from his back, thrashing it forwards. Judging by his oddly clean vest and slightly sloppy swordsmanship, he's a new chunin. Obito flicks two shuriken forwards, and one finds a home in the chunin's shoulder. Taking advantage of his opponent's distraction, Obito sends several needles of fire (something Hayate and Asuma helped him work out) into his forehead. The other Kumon-nin immediately starts towards him. Based on what's happening in the corner of Obito's eye, Kakashi got the actually challenge, while Obito got the factory rejects.

Activating his Sharingan, Obito makes quick work of his opponent, who has practically the same moves as her squad mate.

Before Obito has a chance to turn around, he hears a yell from Kakashi, and a shuriken is suddenly in his shoulder. Hissing in pain, Obito turned to face another shinobi, who seemed to have taken advantage of Kakashi's momentary focus on his other team mate to go after Obito. His plan didn't exactly work out, however, as Kakashi sent a kunai into his head with a wet sounding crunch.

With a scream, the final kunoichi on the team ran towards Kakashi. Obito heard the all too familiar crackle of the chidori firing up.

Assuming that the situation was all but taken care of, Obito headed over to check the packs of the dead shinobi for scrolls. Before he could check the packs, he heard the sounds of a body thumping to the ground. Kakashi stood over the girl's body, his arm bloody and fingers still sparking. He seemed to be breathing unusually heavily, and shaking. Weird.

Obito turned his attention back to the packs. After searching around for a short period, he fished them out.

"Wow, these idiots actually carried classified information around with them." Obito mumbled, continuing to rifle through the pack.

There was nothing else of interest in the bags, so Obito got up and turned around, only to find Kakashi still standing over the body, staring at it unblinkingly.

"Uh, Kakashi? We need to go. Remember, trying to locate prisoners? The chunin?" Obito said. When he received no response, he got up and grabbed Kakashi's shoulder, shaking it.

"Hey, assface, are you deaf? We need to go."

Kakashi seemed to twitch back to life, turning around, his expression strange. Then he blinked, and was back to his usual blank self.

"Let's go." He said, walking away.

"I just _said_ that, jerk…." Obito mumbled.

It took a few hours of searching with his Sharingan, Obito traced the chakra signatures of their attackers back to their camp, where the three Konoha chunin were most certainly not alive, if the charred corpses and strung up, bloody hitae-ate were anything to go by.

"No other chakra signatures around here. Didn't sense anything when we were moving around, either." Obito sighed. "I guess they're dead."

Kakashi didn't respond, just turned and began to walk in the direction of home.

Obito watched him go for a brief time, his thoughts clouding in his head, before moving to follow.

Kakashi didn't speak the entire journey home.

He didn't speak when they walked through the gates, and left without a word, leaving Obito to complete the mission report, which he never let Obito do. Ever.

Kakashi didn't show up when Minato called practice the next day, and came late the day after. He seemed…. Off. Distracted, jumpy. He spoke even less then was usual. When they were kneeling by the river to wash the dirt from the taijutsu exercises sensei had given them off of their faces, Obito saw that the skin on Kakashi's hands was red and raw.

He didn't come to training the next day.

"Hey, any idea what's going on with 'Kashi?" Minato asked Obito that day, over lunch.

Obito shook his head, saying he didn't know. He thought about it for the rest of the day, though.

It was only when he was lying in bed that night that he realized. Kakashi started acting strange after he killed the girl from Stone. Obito thought about it, tried to remember anything out of the ordinary. It had been a typical mission, and it wasn't exactly the first time either of them had killed.

Then it hit him. The girl.

Slender build, olive skin. Medium length brown hair. Medic pack. If he were to see her only briefly, she could be mistaken for…..

Rin.


	2. Weep

_Hey! Sorry about the wait, exams and such took over. Also, guess who completely skipped over Minato being announced as Hokage? That's right. Me. I did. Who needs consistent plot, anyway._

 _A quick shout out to A Lurker, my first reviewer! I really appreciated your review. I am glad you think the characterization is going well!_

* * *

Minato's inauguration came and went, and Obito didn't see Kakashi after the ceremony.

He wasn't sure what to do.

He was pretty sure he was right on the mark about why Kakashi was acting so strangely, but he was conflicted. He was still angry at Kakashi. God, he was so, so angry. He could still see the image of Kakashi's arm going through Rin's chest, how that ball of lightening slid through her like butter, he could remember the smell of charred flesh. It had seemed stronger then, maybe because he cared so much more about Rin then about the others he had seen Kakashi kill with the jutsu.

Even so, a new thought was lingering in the back of his head. He had never seen Kakashi react to something so strongly before, not even right after Rin died.

Was this Kakashi reacting? Was this his weird, messed up way of showing emotion?

If Obito thought logically about it, it wasn't like Kakashi was a robot. He had come back and saved Obito in Rock, sacrificing his eye in the process. He wasn't as indifferent as he led on; if he was, then he would have let Obito die a long time ago.

The thoughts would not leave his head, and that night he left the compound, making his way to Kakashi's apartment. He had only been there a handful of times, and only in the company of Rin or sensei, when one of them had news about training or a mission. Whenever the team gathered it was either at Ichiraku's or at Minato's. When Obito found the door with Kakashi's number on it, he stood outside for a few minutes, deciding what he should do. He felt sort of stupid being here. Kakashi was a jonin, he could take care of himself, and it wasn't like Obito was all that close to him anyway.

But then if something was wrong, his guilty conscious would end up eating at him, no matter how angry he was at Kakashi. With a sigh, he knocked on the door.

No answer.

That was strange. Kakashi never went out, and it was dark out, so he probably wasn't training. Obito was about to knock again when he heard a huge crash inside.

He seriously doubted it was a broken glass.

Mustering up some chakra, he forced the door open and rushed inside. There was nothing amiss in the dining and living area, and he could see the door to Kakashi's bedroom was open and no one was in there. That left the bathroom. Obito ran down the short hallway that led to the bathroom and study, and saw that there was steam pouring out of the bathroom. He edged around the door.

"Kakashi?" he called out. Again, no reply. "Okay, I'm coming in, please don't be naked."

Kakashi was standing over the sink. Water was rushing full force out of the tap, hot enough to make steam. Kakashi appeared to be…. Washing his hands?

"Hey, Kakashi, what the hell are you doing?"

Kakashi just continued to wash his hands. Obito reached forwards and grabbed his shoulder, pulling him away. When Kakashi faced him, Obito's eyes widened.

Kakashi's silver hair was matted and damp, and his eye was bloodshot, the other one uncovered so that Obito could see the scar that sliced through his eyelid, eyebrow, and split the milky white eye. Kakashi was trembling.

"What's going on? You look like shit, what happened?"  
Kakashi blinked once, then replied in a trembling whisper.

"It won't come out."

Now Obito was really confused.

"What? What won't come out?"

"The blood." Kakashi held up his hands. They were red and raw, like they had been soaked and scrubbed dozens of times.

"There isn't any blood, Kakashi. You barely have any skin left on there." Obito said, tearing his eyes away from Kakashi's hands.

"I can see it. I can see….."

"See what? What could you possibly see?"

"The blood. Her blood. Rin's, I- I can't get it off. I can't get it off, Obito, I can see it, and I can smell it, I….." Kakashi trailed off, and started to turn back to the sink.

Obito realized with a sinking feeling that he had been right. It was Rin who Kakashi had seen on the mission. Obito, not having really witnessed any psychological breakdowns firsthand before, wasn't entirely sure what to do. The only one he thought with any certainty could help would be Minato, who when not on mission was swamped in the hokage's office.

Obito could only hope he would have time to talk to his student.

No, scratch that. He had to have time. Kakashi was seriously losing it. Obito tried to remember anything he knew about calming hysterical people.

"Okay. Okay, Kakashi. Tell you what. Why don't you go lay down. I'll…." He would what? What could he do? "I'll bring you some fresh bandages." Even if that wouldn't fix anything, Kakashi's hands were cracked and blistered, and Obito didn't think bringing him to a medic was a good idea right then.

"I should stay…." Kakashi began, then seemingly trailed off into nowhere.

"I'll be back soon, okay? I'll even help you…. Clean up." Obito choked the words out, and then gently guided Kakashi out of the steamy bathroom, settling him on the couch. A part of him was tempted to sweep the place for weapons, but he knew that if Kakashi really wanted to hurt himself he would be able to do it whether or not there were kunai in the room.

Glancing behind him to make sure Kakashi was still in place on the sofa, his expression glazed over and empty, Obito began running towards the Hokage office.

He got there faster than he likely ever had, and did not wait to speak to the secretary outside before storming into the office.

"Sensei!" Obito shouted, startling Minato and the assortment of planning specialists gathered around him.

"Obito, what are you doing? I'm in the middle of a meeting."

"It's important. It's about Kakashi. I need you to come with me right now." Obito replied, frustration breaking through.

"Look, Obito, I'll be there as soon as I can but-"

"He's in trouble, and you're the only one I know who can talk him out of it!"

Minato frowned, before gesturing to the shinobi surrounding him. They all cleared the room immediately.

"Obito, what's going on?"

"Kakashi was acting strangely after our last mission, so I went to check on him. He was washing his hands-"

"Obito, I don't think that's really-"

"No, listen. He was washing them to the point where they were blistered and cracked. He was hurting himself. I made him stop, and he kept saying that there was blood on them, that he could still see Rin's blood on his hands, and I don't know how to help him." Obito said, leaning forward onto the desk.

Minato sighed, running a hand over his face. "I had worried it might be something like that."

"Well, what do we do?" Obito still had a great deal of negative emotion towards Kakashi, but now he knew that his team mate was not as cold and indifferent towards Rin's death as he had portrayed himself to be. Now Minato knew, so he would be able to help.

"I've been thinking about Kakashi a great deal of late. I have decided it would be best to place him in ANBU."

What? Did he hear that right?

"ANBU?" Obito repeated, confused.

"Yes. I think that would be best for him."

Confusion gave way to anger, and Obito hit the desk with his palm.

"Best for him? Are you joking?" He snarled, voice raising. "I just walked in on him hallucinating to the point of causing himself psychical harm, and you want him in ANBU? What he needs is an extended leave and psychoanalysis, not to be put under more stress and to spend more time killing!"

"Obito, it will give him an outlet. It can-"

"He doesn't need an _outlet._ He needs to be taken off the active duty roster for a while. Do you not understand that? Or do you just not care?"

"Obito, that isn't true and you know it-"

"Why don't you stop trying to tell me what I know and start paying attention to what is going on around you? I've wanted to wring Kakashi's pasty neck for years, and _I'm_ the one who found out something was wrong with him." Obito replied his voice raising.

Minato's expression darkened. "Obito, I know Kakashi better then you do. This is best for him. Besides which, I think you are forgetting who exactly you are speaking to here. I am the hokage, and I have the final word on this decision. This isn't the good old days of the team anymore."

Obito straightened up, taking his fists off the desk. "Good old days? Do you think I'm stupid? We were fighting a war. A war Rin died because of. And something tells me what Kakashi is doing isn't new. I think that it wouldn't be too off the mark to say you've seen him like this before."

Minato sighed, running a hand over his face. "I've known Kakashi for a long time. He doesn't have a grasp on how to deal with emotions. His only way to deal is through acting out-"

"Killing people doesn't fall under the category of acting out, sensei."

"And focusing on missions. I'm doing what I can for him, but he isn't my only priority."

"It doesn't sound like he's a priority at all. Or that either of us are, for that matter. Does Kushina feel the same way you do? I somehow doubt it. I doubt she even knows." Obito backed away from the desk. "I'm telling you not to put Kakashi in ANBU, if you care about him at all. But I'm just the team idiot, right? Doesn't matter what I think."

He left before Minato could answer.

Obito wanted to try and find someone to help him, but he needed to get back to Kakashi. He wasn't sure what would happen if he was left alone for long. He made his way back to Kakashi's apartment. He found the door unlocked. He knocked softly, and then walked inside. From the door, he could see that Kakashi was still sitting on the sofa, staring at his hands.

"Hey, Kakashi." Obito called, keeping his voice soft. "Sorry I was gone for a while." He walked towards the sofa. Kakashi blinked his eye slowly, then looked up at Obito.

Obito waited for him so speak, but he didn't. Unsure what to do, Obito walked towards the kitchen island.

"Are you hungry? I'm hungry. I'll make some lunch, okay?"

He opened the cupboard. Inside there were two bowls, two plates, two chopstick holders, and two chopsticks. And field rations. Dozens of brown envelopes of dried food. A brief survey of the room showed that there wasn't a fridge to be seen, and no food on the counters.

Obito rummaged around in the cupboard for a little, until he finally came out with two envelopes of dried miso soup, and some bottled barley tea from the very back. He switched on the kettle, and found himself staring into the slowly forming steam patterns on the metal, changing shape as the steam built up and whistled out of the spout. Obito shook the light brown powder out of the envelopes and into the bowls. God, he didn't even have any soy sauce around. Did Kakashi really live on this stuff?

Obito carried the bowls out into the living room. Kakashi had moved to the window, and was staring out. Obito didn't think he was really looking at anything. He had removed his mask, and the window was open a crack, a slight breeze lifting silver strands of hair away from his eyes. Obito's stomach still dropped a little every time he saw the scar that crossed the remains of his eye. Obito knew it wasn't his fault. In fact he had spent the last month or so blaming Kakashi for everything that had gone wrong, for Rin's death, blaming Kakashi for his own injuries.

Of course, Obito thought, there was always plenty of blame to go around.

Apparently waking from his stupor, Kakashi slowly walked towards the sofa, and sat down on the edge. Obito placed the bowl in front of him, and the tea next to it.

"There isn't anything but dried rations in our apartment, dude. You need to work on your grocery shopping habits."

Kakashi glanced at him, then back to the soup, but still did not speak. The two of them ate in silence, the only sound the clinking of their spoons against the side of their bowls. The silence was starting to grate on Obito, but he didn't know what to do about it. He had spent most of his time with Kakashi trying to avoid conversation. He had no idea how to talk to his own team mate.

"You went to see sensei." Kakashi's voice, quiet and rough, startled Obito.

"How did you know?" he asked.

"Because you think I'm crazy and don't want to deal with it, and you think sensei can deal with it so you don't have to." Kakashi paused. "Also you smell like those annoying candles in the office."

Part of Obito was impressed, but he was mostly offended.

"Okay, you might be partially right, you are acting crazy. And yes, I do smell like those candles, they're awful. But…." Obito paused. "I'm not letting sensei deal with it, because I don't think he can. You're still my team mate, no matter how annoying you are. Besides, I don't think that" Obito swallowed, and took a death breath "I don't think Rin would want us fighting even more than before. She always wanted us to get along."

The room was quiet again, with nothing but the sounds of their breathing and distant voices from outside. Obito looked over at Kakashi. His eyes were still red rimmed, and he was shaking slightly.

"When you said you didn't think sensei could help…. What did he say to you?" Kakashi said, his voice soft.

Obito frowned, and reached down to take another sip of his tea. "He wants you to join ANBU, and I'm not sure he's giving you a choice."

Kakashi's eyes snapped up to stare at him. "ANBU? Are you sure?"

Obito nodded. "He told me himself."

Kakashi looked back down. His mask was still off, and he was gnawing on his lower lip. If the scabs on it were anything to go by, he did so a lot.

As Obito contemplated the mounting evidence of his team mates bad habits, Kakashi stood up.

"I guess I will, then."

"What?"

"I'll join."

"Are you stupid?" Obito snapped, standing up. "Do you not understand the state you're in? How I just found you?"

Kakashi stood up on still shaking knees. "I am not a child. I am not stupid. I can make my own decision. Besides, since when do you even care?"

"Since I'm the one of us who isn't cold bastard, that's why! I happen to care about the mental stability of others!" Obito replied, voice raised.

"Well don't. I don't need you to care."

Obito groaned, running a hand across his face. "God, will you stop with that stoic bullshit? It's okay to need people once and a while." Obito tried to reach out and grab Kakashi's shoulder, but he pulled away from his grip.

"Kakashi-"

"You can leave."

"I just want to-"

"Leave."

Obito frowned, and had a brief internal debate about saying something else. In the end, he decided to leave.

It was dark by the time Obito returned to his small house in the Uchiha compound. Sighing, he flopped down onto his bed. It seemed that interactions with Kakashi always ended in him doing so. He had though he was helping his team mate, but it was obvious Kakashi didn't want help. Not the he would know emotional support if it bit him in his pale, mask wearing face.

Still, Obito couldn't let Minato put Kakashi in ANBU. It seemed like sensei, in his brief time in office, had forgotten that his students still needed him.

If Minato wouldn't change his mind, though….

Obito didn't know what he would do.

* * *

 _I thought hard about how to handle this chapter. I didn't know if I should have Kakashi stay out of ANBU, and I was unsure how to handle this confrontation between him and Obito. I feel like Obito wants to help him, but doesn't know how._


	3. Mourn

Hey all, sorry as usual for the wait. But thank you so much for the kind reviews!  
I realized after rereading chapter two that Minato came across as more callous then I meant him to. He does care about Kakashi, but he went from war orphan to soldier. He doesn't have much perspective on life outside of the shinobi forces. He thinks he is doing the right thing, because he is doing all he knows how to. And, as they say, power corrupts. Being called a savior and prodigy makes you think you can do anything.  
Secondly, we are almost done the first story arc! *horns sounds*  
There will be roughly five arcs in this installment, if all goes according to plan, hopefully around 30 typed pages each.  
Thirdly, I should mention that the "theme song" for this story is You by Keaton Henson. Each chapter is named after part of a lyric of that song. (I have a whole playlist of stuff for this verse lol)  
Lastly, there is a POV change in this chapter, towards the end. You get a bit from Kakashi's POV! I don't think I will do that much, but if you guys like it he can take over every once and a while.  
Thanks for reading, and as always critique is welcome.

* * *

When it came right down to it, Obito didn't know a lot about Kakashi's off duty life. This was mostly due to the fact that he didn't seem to have one, if his apartment and constant senbon-up-the-ass attitude.

So, unsure who else he could possibly ask for help, Obito went searching for Gai. Predictably, he found him in one of the training fields, still out doing drills after dark.

"Hey, Gai!" He called out, entering the field. Gai turned around, and a grin lit up his face.

"Obito! My fellow youth, how are you? I have not seen you in some weeks!" Gai exclaimed, dashing towards Obito. Obito smiled. Gai's enthusiasm was infectious, even when in a foul mood.

"I'm okay." Obito shifted back and forth, shuffling his feet. He didn't really understand the dynamic between Kakashi and Gai, but this seemed like his best shot. "Gai, have you spoken to Kakashi recently?" Obito asked. He and Gai were really the only ones Kakashi spoke to, and Gai more than him at that.

Gai frowned, his serious expression just as exaggerated as his previous exuberant one. "No, I am afraid I have not. I have attempted to seek him out, but alas he has avoided me at every turn." He raised his fingers to his chin, and look thoughtful. "But then, my eternal rival has always been secretive. Perhaps something has happened, and he is feeling unwell."

"That's sort of why I'm here." Obito replied "I'm not sure how much I can tell you, but I think I need your help. Kakashi's been asked to do something by sen- the Hokage. Something I think is a very, very bad idea. But I don't know how to stop him from agreeing to do it."

"What is going on?" Gai asked, concern in his tone.

"I think sensei is going to make him join ANBU. Even if service was optional, I don't think Kakashi would say no." Obito explained.

"I do not see why that would be so bad. Kakashi is a skilled warrior, I am certain he would be able to handle the missions assigned to him." Gai replied.

"I'm not worried about how skilled he is, Gai. I'm worried that being in such an intense atmosphere won't be good for him. You said yourself he barely speaks to you these days. Something is up with him, and throwing him into and elite killing squad isn't going to fix it. If he goes down that road, I'm scared he'll never come back." Obito said. He had to make Gai understand. That was the one advantage of being forced to attend Clan meetings, he thought. He had a better perspective on the ugly inner working of the village. Or the Uchiha version of it, anyway, which was admittedly a tad skewed. It was still better than nothing though, and the Clan meeting propaganda was easier to think his way out of then what they were told in the village. As part of Minato's squad Obito had been on longer, more important missions then his peers. He knew the front lines of battle, and he knew that none of Konoha's forces were any kinder than their neighbors they warred with.

Well, except maybe Hidden Mist. That place was a special level of crazy.

"The way I see it, sensei is just trying to fix the problem with what caused it. Kakashi might be an ass, but he doesn't deserve to go through that." Obito added. He thought back to the one time he had accompanied Rin on her rounds of the hospital, and they had passed by the mental ward. He only glanced through the window, but all he saw were rows upon rows of white doors, and a few vacant looking ex shinobi wandering the halls. It had seemed less like a place of healing, and more like a dumping ground for those who could no longer fight. He didn't want Kakashi to end up there.

"I understand what you are saying, my friend. But what do you propose we do? To intervene with the Hokage's order is high treason. We could be taken off the force if we are seen to be insubordinate." Gai sighed, long and loud. "However, I do not wish to see my eternal Rival in distress. I will help you to try and prevent him from being taken into the ANBU forces."

Obito grinned. "Thanks, Gai. I knew that I could count on you."

Gai nodded enthusiastically, and reached out to clasp Obito's shoulder. "I will do what I can, of course. However I am not as familiar with the working of the village as you, so I am unsure if I will be as useful as you hope."

"I honestly don't know that much either. Unfortunately, I think we're gonna have to find a lot out in order to do what I'm planning on doing."

* * *

It was two weeks later when Obito stormed into the Hokage office once again. However this time, he was driven by determination to make Minato see thigs from his perspective, not by pure outrage.

"Alright. It's obvious that you won't change your mind, and Kakashi is just going to do whatever you say, so how about a compromise." Obito said, strolling up to the desk and planting his fists on it. Without more than raising an eyebrow, Minato gestured to the Hyuuga branch member standing next to him to leave, and he and Obito were alone.

"I'm listening, Obito."

"It isn't even just about Kakashi, really. What I think is that ANBU members should be allowed to stay in their own homes, rather than having to live in barracks all the time. Before you say anything" Obito paused, seeing Minato's mouth open "Just hear me out. Having agents stay hidden from the rest of the village isn't helping to keep anything a secret. No one has ever bought the lie that all those people were going on year-long missions outside of the village. There just aren't that many missions of that length to be had. Everyone knows that they are going into the ops. Having them at home when not off duty might actually help keep the whole thing more secretive. Secondly, it has been proven by civilian and shinobi doctors alike that having contact with life outside of duty reduces stress. If the ops are able to have at least something resembling normal social lives, then their overall work ethic and ability to focus on missions will likely improve." Obito paused, dropping the document he was carrying on the table. "Me and a few others put this together. It's everything we could find about the long term health of elite ops over time. I hope it proves our point."

Minato slid the binder towards himself, and opened it with a contemplative expression. "This is a lot of work. Did you do this by yourself?"

Obito laughed shyly, scratching at the back of his head. "Ha, no way. Gai helped me with the heavy lifting and note taking, and I got Kurenai and one of my cousins to help write it." He didn't want to admit out loud that it was Shisui who had helped him- the kid was a better writer at his age then Obito was now.

"So you told people outside of your immediate team that Kakashi was going into ANBU? That he was joining a secret, hidden group?" Minato asked, eyebrow raised.

Obito gulped. "Um, well yes. But- but it was only because I needed help! I have to prove to you that I'm right about this. If I want to be Hokage someday, I need to be able to argue my point effectively, right? And to work with and defend my comrades! That's what you always said."

Minato smiled slightly. "Well, we can keep the part about you not being good at keeping secrets between ourselves. I understand you all have Kakashi's best interests at heart." He flipped through the first few pages.

"You have a great deal of research here. I can see you are serious about this. I can consider your proposal, even bring it up at the next meeting. But I won't be changing my mind about Kakashi joinging the forces, Obito."

What was this? This was not the Minato sensei that he knew, not the one who trained him, who always greeted his efforts and antics with patience and kindness. No matter what, sensei had always been understanding, and now he wouldn't so much as hear Obito out? Before Obito could even begin to protest, to question Minato's behaviour, the older man spoke up.

"I am afraid I wasn't entirely truthful with you the last time spoke, about why I want Kakashi in ANBU. Yes, I do think it would be good for him. However, it is also because there is a mission I need him for. He won't be leaving the village for it, and it involves no killing. I am confident that it will all go off without a hitch, but I am having him take this mission just in case. Besides, I think that completing this mission will help him heal."

That hadn't been what Obito was expecting. "What's the mission?"

"I'm sorry, Obito. Since you aren't ANBU, nor are you directly involved, I can't tell you exactly what the mission is." Minato said, expression apologetic. "All I can tell you is that I believe he will be safe during this mission. What he chooses to do afterwards is completely up to him."

Obito mulled it over. All this was better than he had expected, except- "So he isn't in ANBU just for the duration of the mission. He's staying."

Minato sighed. "Obito, I just said it's up to him. Please stop trying to make me into the villain here."

"I'm not making you into anything. But Kakashi won't leave voluntarily. So I have a feeling we'll be talking about this again." Obito turned around and began to leave. "Sensei I know you won't tell me anything about the mission, but just promise that you won't let him get too wrapped up in himself during this, okay?"

Minato's face softened. "I promise, Obito."

* * *

After his talk with Minato, Obito decided his next stop should be Kakashi's apartment. He hadn't visited the other boy in the few weeks since his break down, as it had been obvious Kakashi hadn't wanted him around. However, Obito thought that there was no point tip toeing around the wishes of a guy whose mental stability was shaky at best. By the time he went inside, he had spent about half an hour outside the door debating whether he should enter the building and, ultimately, if he wanted to. He knew that Kakashi didn't want help, and that it was likely he never would, or at least would never admit that he did.

Part of Obito still didn't want to help him. They had done nothing but be at each-other's throats for years. A change of heart wasn't going to be easy, especially since they no longer had Rin or Sensei to act as a buffer. Kakashi was terrible with voicing his feelings, and Obito wasn't much better. Though, Obito understood him better now. Kakashi wasn't so cold hearted as he let on. He did feel, did regret, did care. What Obito needed to do was to bring those things out of him, convince him that feeling did not make him a bad person, or a bad shinobi. In some way, Obito supposed that he just wanted to preserve what was left of his broken mess of a team. He couldn't stand the thought of watching everything that was left fall apart. If they did, what would be left? Minato would be buried in his work, Kakashi would disappear into the faceless, bloody mass of ANBU, and Obito would be left with semi regular missions and a clan he was an outsider in.

With a deep breath, Obito entered the apartment complex and began to climb the stairs. When he reached the third floor, where Kakashi's place was, he almost passed by it entirely. The door was open, which was strange enough, but there was no one there. The main room was the same as it had been a couple of weeks before, but it seemed…. Emptier. Almost sterile. Like someone had come through and wiped down every surface so that not even a speck of dust or a stray hair was left. Making his way in, Obito activated his Sharingan, keeping on the lookout for any booby traps that may have been set. There was nothing, no chakra signatures other than his own. The bathroom also looked the same, every surface gleaming white. No scent of blood, which he supposed was a good thing. However, everything in here smelled more strongly of disinfectant then the main room did. Kakashi had always been a neat freak, but not like this. Leaving the bathroom, he passed through the kitchen. There was no point checking to cupboards. They wouldn't tell him anything, since there was hardly ever anything in them anyway. So, he walked over to the bedroom. That was where things got weird. Kakashi's weapons were gone. So were his armguards and mesh body armour shirts, he saw when he opened the wardrobe. Even the team picture had been removed from the shelf. Obito knew, perhaps had always known, that there was some kind of sentimental value attached to that photo for Kakashi. He wouldn't have just left it.

By chance, Obito's eyes strayed to the bottom of the wardrobe. Sitting there was a single piece of paper. He could only imagine that it was there intentionally. He knelt down and picked it up, flipping it over. On it were two words.

 _Forget me._

* * *

Kakashi walked down the hall leading to the ANBU HQ. It was dimly lit, and it was very sparse, nothing but concrete and the distant sound of dripping pipes. If Obito had been here, he would have made a sarcastic comment of some kind.

(Kakashi wondered when he started giving any thought to what Obito thought or said about things.)

The agent in the bird mask who was leading him came to a stop in front of a door, one just as grey and ugly as the others, indistinguishable from all the others. She knocked sharply, and a familiar voice sounded from within.

"Enter."

The agent opened the door, and went inside. Assuming he was meant to follow, Kakashi entered the room as well. Inside sat Minato, in a high backed chair behind a desk. He smiled when he saw Kakashi.

"You may go. Thank you, Hawk." Minato said, addressing the other agent. With a swift bow, she left, closing the door behind her. "Thank you for coming here today, Kakashi. I appreciate it." Minato said, turning to his student.

Kakashi simply nodded in acknowledgement, not speaking. Apparently undeterred, Minato pulled a folder out in front of him. "I have brought you here to ANBU because I have a specific mission for you. It's A to S ranked, and must be kept absolutely confidential. It will take a minimum of eight months, perhaps up to the year."

"Where am I going?" Kakashi asked, picking up the mission brief.

"You won't be leaving the village. This is a bodyguard assignment, but you cannot let the person know you are guarding them." Minato paused. "You are guarding Kushina."

That caused Kakashi to look up. "Kushina-san? Why? Did something happen to her?"

Minato frowned, and leaned back. "You have never been told this, but Kushina is the vessel of the nine tailed demon fox. She has been able to keep it under wraps for most of her life, but now she might not be able to. You see, one of the only times that a sealing seal of the level she possesses can weaken is during childbirth."

"Kushina-san is pregnant?" Kakashi asked, disbelief in his tone.

Minato nodded. "Yes. We found out a few weeks ago. If anyone outside the village was to find out, it could be a serious risk not only to her and the baby, but to the village itself. There are those who would like nothing more than to use her power for evil, and when she gives birth it is likely someone will attempt to do so."

Kakashi swallowed, turning his gaze away from Minato again. "And…. You want me to guard her? That's why I'm here?"

"Yes." Minato reached over, clasping Kakashi's shoulder. "I know things have been rough for you, Kakashi, but I trust you. I believe you can do this."

Kakashi felt sick. Why did sensei trust him like this? What had he ever done to deserve that trust? He hadn't been able to save his father, he killed Rin, he very nearly got himself and Obito killed on the Iwa mission, losing an eye in the process. There was nothing trustworthy about him.

(Another part of him, somewhere in the back of his head, asked why he was even here in the first place. Why he was being given this responsibility, why Obito had tried to stop him, why people kept trying to help him when he did nothing but let them down.)

"This mission is not voluntary, Kakashi." Minato said, breaking him out of his thoughts. "I have brought you here for the sole purpose of completing this mission. Whether or not you stay in ANBU after that is your choice. This, however, is not."

His thoughts drifted to the note he had left Obito. It had been impulsive, stupid. But he felt that Obito deserved something to know that Kakashi hadn't just disappeared. Something to tell him that he would soon be the only member of team 7. Kakashi didn't think he would be leaving ANBU after nine months. Looking back up at Minato, Kakashi replied:

"Do I start now?"


	4. Leave

_Hello all~_  
 _Not much Kakashi in this chapter, sorry about that. He will be back next chapter. Just a couple quick notes for this chapter-_  
 _I headcanon Obito as being Mikoto's somewhat distant cousin, which is why Itachi refers to Obito as his uncle. Also now tht roughly a year as overlapped in the story Obito is fifteen now. Boy do I love my time skips. None of those for a bit though._  
 _Also, who is happy about happy mini!Itachi?_  
 _I am._

In the months that passed, Obito saw practically nothing of his old team.

With the war nearly won, Minato was busy almost constantly, and Kakashi was nowhere to be found. Obito could have found him, if he really tried, but he wasn't sure that getting court marshaled for obstructing in the duties of a superior officer was really the best way to do things. A chunin following around an ANBU would come off as fairly suspicious.

He had been sent on a five month mission, so it was when Obito was returning from the eastern border of Fire Country when he heard the news. The war was over. The village was alive with revelry upon his return. The streets were filled with shinobi and civilians alike, eating and drinking and yelling in celebration. Drinking songs and mourning songs filled the air with equal volume; the contrast between the relief brought by peace and the too fresh memory of fallen comrades was clear. The third war had been bloodier then the past two. It seemed that each generation of shinobi brought with them an era of violence to outdo that of their predecessors. Every wave of violence killed as many as it made powerful. Killed people like Rin, like so many of Obito's academy classmates. It left people like Obito and Kakashi to pick up the pieces and wade through the ashes that were all that war left behind.

They may have been left to pick up the pieces, but they were still alive. They had survived the war, and Obito intended for them to keep surviving whatever was going to come now. He intended for the remainder of team seven to get stronger, sure, but also to retain their humanity. He had been truly pissed off when he got sent out of the village for so long right after everything that went down with Kakashi and Sensei. He had no way to keep tabs on them, since he couldn't exactly request updates on the status of an ANBU operative. Now that he was back, he could check up on them.

After he went to the hospital.

Some blue skinned nut-job from Mist had shown up out of nowhere part way through the mission and done a number on Obito's shoulder. He had done an emergency patch job, but he was no medic. He needed to get it checked. He would go bother sensei for confidential information afterwards.

He got yelled at by the on duty nurse for popping his shoulder back in place by himself. He tried to explain that he sort of needed to move both of his shoulders in order to defend himself from other things, like fast moving knives aimed at his face, but that got him nothing but an angry expression. He decided that, in the name of self-preservation, he would stop arguing with over worked medics. He had left the hospital and was on his way to the Hokage tower when something flashed by overhead.

Something silver and red and with a chakra signature that left the static feeling of lightening in the back of Obito's throat. Kakashi. Activating his Sharingan, Obito leapt up the railings and pipes to the roof. He could still see the slight trail of an undisguised chakra signature. It seemed Kakashi was getting sloppy. That, or for some reason he wanted to be found. Obito sprinted across the flat roof of the hospital, trying to catch up with the chakra signature before it disappeared. He ran about three hundred meters, when suddenly the signature stopped cold.

So then, he didn't want to be found. He was just being an ass.

"Hello to you too, jerk!" Obito yelled into the air.

* * *

Feeling like there was no reason to break his pattern, Obito strolled into the Hokage office in the middle of a meeting. "I'm back! Miss me, sensei?" He called out.

His time away had given him many opportunities to think, and he was not as angry as he had been.

Minato sighed audibly, but there was a hint of a smile upon his face. "It certainly has been quieter lately. I assume your mission went well?"

"I'm insulted, sensei. You love my noise. And yeah, it did, aside from some crazy blue guy from mist. I don't think he was even after us, though, he just seemed to want to kill something. Crazy Kiri fuckers." Obito mumbled, dropping his report on the table. He had completed it as the mission went on, so nothing important would be left out. He didn't want to put too much faith in his own memory.

"I'm glad there were no issues. I trust you heard the good news?" Minato replied, flipping through the report.

"Yeah, a drunk Genma had the honour of breathing it into my face. You think it's really done? Iwa border guards were pretty heavy."

Minato nodded. "The treaties were signed. They have to stick to the agreements for at least a little while, anyway."

Obito nodded. With a sigh, he sat down. "It's so weird. I feel like I should be happier. But all I can think about is all the people we lost, and how it dragged on. And over what? Some border skirmish between Cloud and Stone? All those treaties with tiny nations are what got us into this mess in the first place. I don't even remember the name of who we swooped in to die for."

"I see you grasp of politics has improved of late. Still hoping to be my successor?"

Obito laughed dryly. "Let's focus on keeping you alive long enough to choose a successor. Don't think I haven't heard about the assassination attempt last week just because I wasn't here."

"It was hardly well planned enough to count as a proper attempt. Don't worry so much." Minato replied, shuffling some papers on his desk. "I'll look through your report soon. Go relax, celebrate with your friends. We can catch up some more later."

"Sounds good." Obito paused to yawn widely. "I'm beat. Nurses are scarier than Kiri killers." He started making his way out the door, then turned around. "You going to tell me anything about Kakashi?"

Minato smiled slightly, but it was strained. "He's still in the village, but I'm assuming you knew that already. I can't say anything else. Work on making jonin, you'll have higher clearance."

"Yeah, yeah, avoid the question. See if I care." Obito mumbled. "I'll see you later, sensei."

The one thing Obito realized he had not done since a while before he left was visit Kushina. He hadn't seen her since the funeral, what with the missions and the war and the drama with Kakashi. He felt he owed her a visit. She had always supported him, no matter how much he messed up. He ambled down the street towards sensei and Kushina's apartment. They had opted not to move into the Hokage tower, most likely because Kushina didn't want to live in a place with so many guards and visitors and Minato wouldn't say no to her. Inhaling the warm air, Obito realized how glad he was to be home. His time away had given him an opportunity to stop connecting everything he saw with Rin, with the war. He still felt pangs of hurt when he was reminded of her, but it was manageable. On his way, he found himself making a stop at her favorite takoyaki stand. He made small talk with the owner, telling him how much Rin had loved his food. That helped, he found. Remembering the things that made her happy, everything that made her smile.

Holding the container of takoyaki he had bought in both hands, Obito climbed the stairs to Minato and Kushina's apartment. He knocked and heard a muffled yell from inside that signified Kushina was coming to the door. A few seconds later the door swung open, and there stood Kushina, in all her red haired glory.

"Hey!" Obito said, waving with his free hand.

She blinked once, then a huge grin took over her face. "Obito!" She cried, dashing forward to embrace him. "Look at you! How have you grown so much in just a few months? You're as tall as me! How have you been?" She rushed out, squeezing him tight again before letting him go and holding him in front of her, her hands on his shoulders. He rubbed a hand behind his head, laughing softly.

"Haha, it's been a while, huh?" He paused. There was something different about her. Something that was….. sticking out? Her stomach. It was sticking out. Obito's eyebrows raised. "Kushina?" He asked, voice cautious. "Hm?" "Are…. Are you pregnant?"

She stared at him, then burst out laughing. "Oh man, it really has been a long time, huh? Jeez, I totally forgot you didn't know, I'm so used to keeping it a secret!"

He burst into a grin. "That's so great! Geez, how did you forget to tell me! And sensei either! Forgetting to tell your cutest student, I can't believe you two. Does Kakashi know?"

Kushina's smile shifted into something a little more forced. "Obito, why don't you come inside? I'll put some tea on."

"Oh, alright. I'm pretty tired, so that would be nice." He replied, following her into the apartment. He liked their apartment. Its walls were a cheerfully soft yellow, with light oak floors. Art and pictures of their friends and Team Seven hung on the walls. It was obviously a place that was loved, that had work put into it. Not like Obito's tiny place in the compound, where he wasn't allowed a bigger house until he got married.

"My cousin Mikoto was almost ready to pop too, when I left. I have to go see her and check out my new nephew."

"Oh yes, I saw her just the other day!" Kushina said, putting the kettle on and dropping a bag of oolong into each cup. "Little Sasuke, he's adorable. I hope he and mine can be friends."

"I'll do what I can to arrange it." Obito laughed, muttering a thanks when she handed him the hot tea. They sat across from each other. Obito leaned into the comfortable sofa cushion, before remembering his earlier question. "Kushina san, you never answered me, does Kakashi know about the baby? I know he's in the village, the asshole was following me around earlier."

Kushina bit her lip and sighed, leaning back. She seemed to think for minute before speaking. "Minato told me about you trying to get him to stop Kakashi from being put in Anbu. I know what went down between you two, and I know that he didn't want you to know what Kakashi's mission is. I understand why he wants that, but I also don't think it's his decision to make. Besides, I trust you not to say anything to anyone."

"Of course not, I'm not a total idiot. So?"

"So, yes, he knows. He knows because Kakashi has been my body guard ever since I started showing."

That….. actually made sense. Obito understood why Minato wanted Kakashi for the job so badly. What didn't make sense was….. "Why do you need a body guard? If someone wanted to hurt the Hokage's kid, it would be easier to wait until it was born." Obito asked.

She shook her head. "No, it isn't that. It's because I'm a jinchurriki. I know you already knew that, since the two of us went on that Kuro mission. But the seal that keeps the fox in me can only be weakened during childbirth. So we're worried that someone will attack and try to take to Kyuubi out of me at that time."

"Take it out? Is that even possible? I thought those seals were impossible to undo." Obito said. His knowledge of sealing was undeniably limited, but he liked to think that he had a pretty good understanding of the basics. Seals that tough weren't supposed to crap out on you half way through.

"Usually you would be right." Kushina replied, setting down her cup. "But there have only been two other female jinchurriki in history. And as the majority of shinobi are men, apparently no one ever put much thought into what the strain of child birth would do to the seal." She snorted. "Figures. You can't even find chunin vests that properly fit anyone over a c cup."

Obito laughed. He had spent too much time in trenches and sweaty barracks for any body shyness to affect him. "Yeah, I've heard that." He paused, expression sobering. "So what's the plan? Kakashi can't be your only guard day of."

Kushina shook her head. She stood up, and took his empty cup. She walked into the kitchenette, and Obito heard the soft clink of the dishes being put in the sink. She turned around, leaning against the counter, before she looked back up at him and spoke. "I haven't said this to Minato yet, but I don't want Kakashi there when it happens."

"What? Why? I mean, you trust him don't you?" Obito asked, confused. Why was Kakashi her guard if he wouldn't be there?

"Because I don't know what's going to happen. If something goes wrong, if I….. if things get bad he will blame himself, no matter what. I don't want that weight on his shoulders. He already carries enough damage as it is." She pursed her lips, and ran a hand over her mouth.

So that was it then- she wanted to protect Kakashi. Part of Obito wanted to argue that Kakashi was a jonin, that he could handle himself. But the truth was that being able to handle himself in the moment didn't mean he would be able to handle anything afterwards if things went south. That that been proven already. "You're going to be a great mom, Kushina. You look out for us all the time already." Obito grinned at her.

He knew she was right, and he knew Minato wouldn't like it. If only she had a say in Kakashi being in ANBU at all.

He spent another hour catching up with Kushina, talking both about good memories and what was to come now that the war was done. Obito loved talking to Kushina. It felt like he hadn't gotten to spend time with her since before he made chunin. He wondered, sometimes, what it would have been like if the war hadn't happened. What it would have been like to grow up without setting foot on a battlefield. That would be a better world. A dream come true.

He contemplated this as he made his way back to the Uchiha compound. The clan had grown much smaller in the ten years of the war. All of the clans had. Some, like the Hatake, had only one member left. No wander Kakashi was such a wreck. There had been too many funerals for Obito to go to, not enough time away from the field to pay his respects to his fallen family members. Most of the houses on his street were abandoned now, the single young people having been the majority of the casualties.

It was eerily quiet as he made his way to his little bungalow to drop off his pack and take a shower. Most of the houses had a red flower on the front steps, the Uchiha tradition for when its occupants had died. He figured it would be years before the street was filled again.

Obito hopped into his tiny shower and scrubbed the remainder of the grim off of his skin, and pulled on a fresh uniform. He figured he would get called on later, and so decided to just keep his vest and weapons pack on him. He would have to clean up his place, too. No one had been in to clean it for months, and everything was covered in a fine layer of dust. But first, he had a baby cousin to go meet.

The walk up to the main house where Mikoto, Fugaku, and Itachi resided was a quick one, as long as you knew the short cuts past gardens and bath houses. When he came around the back of the house, he saw Itachi was outside practicing drills. Rumour had it that he was to be an early graduate, probably before he reached eight years old. Kakashi, evidently, had some competition in the young genius department.

"Hey kiddo!" Obito shouted, coming onto the field from behind the trees. Itachi looked up from his forms, and his face broke out into a smile.

"Uncle Obito! I didn't know you were back!" Itachi cried, breaking from position to run over to Obito, wrapping his small arms around his cousin's waist.

"I only just got back to the village. So, what's this I hear about you being a big brother? Do I have a new nephew to meet?" Obito asked, ruffling Itachi's hair with one hand. The younger boy nodded enthusiastically.

"Yeah! Sasuke! He's my little brother, do you want to meet him?"

"Heck yeah! Let's go inside and meet the little guy." Obito replied, allowing Itachi to lead him by the hand into the house.

"Mama!" Itachi cried "Uncle Obito is home!" They entered the house to find Mikoto sitting in a large rocking chair in the parlour, rocking back and forth with a blue bundle of clothe in her arms. She looked up when they entered, and a smile spread over her face.

"Obito! I didn't think you would be back so soon! Your mission was a success?" She asked, her expression friendly and open. Mikoto was one of the rare Uchiha adults who didn't act like she had a branch up her ass all the time.

"Yeah, it went okay. Nothing special. Secret scroll, crazy guy from Mist, the usual." He replied, continuing into the room until he was crouched in front of her. "But enough of that, who is this handsome little guy?"

"This is Sasuke. Sasuke, say hello to your uncle!" Mikoto said, lifting up the little bundle to reveal a tiny face poking out, deep black eyes and a shock of black hair sprouting from his head. He opened his tiny mouth and made a little cooing noise.

"Aw, what a cutie! You have to let me babysit some time, Mikoto!" Obito exclaimed, reaching to hold Sasuke in his arms as Mikoto handed him over. She laughed at him, wringing her hands together to get rid of the stiffness.

"You can count on it. I've hardly slept in days."

"Have you been keeping you mom up, little guy? We'll have to have some guy time, huh? Let your mom get some rest."

"Speaking of which, if you aren't too tired, would you watch him for a time now? I was hoping to get some sleep." Mikoto said, rising up from her seat.

"Yeah, no problem. I can stick around. You'll give me a hand, right Itachi? Maybe tell me what you've been up to at school." Obito replied.

Mikoto smiled gratefully, before ruffling Itachi's hair and heading down the hallway to the master bedroom. Aside from Shisui, this was really the only part of his clan that Obito got along with. Despite having not too distant ties to the main house, he had always been somewhat shunned by the rest of his family. He had never fit into the mould that seemed to make what was deemed a perfect Uchiha. He was always too loud, too clumsy, too emotional. Kakashi probably would have made a good Uchiha, he thought. He could do all that stuff. Although, he thought, Kakashi with a Sharingan would make him even more powerful, and probably more snooty about it.

Now that Obito was in the quiet living room with just the sound of Itachi's pen scratching away at his homework, he had time to think. It was strange, he thought, that Kakashi had gone through such lengths to make Obito notice him when he got back, especially with the note he had left before joining ANBU.

 _Forget me._

What was up with that, anyway? Unusually sentimental for Kakashi. Besides, what did he think would happen? That Obito would just stop trying to get to him? Kakashi had never exactly been into the concept of team work, but surely he wasn't that oblivious. ANBU or not, Obito wasn't going to just leave him behind. He would never do that. Not that he had any idea how to get to him, of course, but that would come later. Right now he was alive and in the village. That wold be enough until Obito thought of something else. He was still thinking about it several hours later, when Itachi had left for bed and he had put Sasuke to sleep. He was about the leave the main house after writing a note for Mikoto when a deafening crash sounded.

Rushing down the hall and outside, Obito leapt onto the roof to see what was going on. There, off in the distance, was the gigantic outline of a fox, nine tails swaying in the moonlight.

 _"We're worried that someone will attack and try to take to Kyuubi out of me at that time."_

Obito's eyes grew wide as realization downed on him.

 _Kushina_

Below him he saw Mikoto rushing out of the house, drawn out by the crashes and roars. The two of them made eye contact and she nodded up and him sharply. He nodded back and took off from the roof, Sharingan activating. He had to get back to the village.

The Kyuubi was attacking, and the Leaf would need all the help it could get.


	5. Your life pt 1

p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"Obito sprinted across the rooftops of the compound, buildings blurring underneath his feet. Once he makes it over the gates he takes to the trees, rocketing down the side of the hill to the outskirts of the main part of the village. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"Everything is in chaos, civilians and ninja alike running rampant, screams and shouts filling the air. Those in uniform are trying to evacuate civilians into the shelters on the mountain, those not in uniform screaming and sprinting to and from homes, searching desperately for family members and loved ones. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"Obito doesn't stop, he can't. He has to get as close as possible, because that is where sensei and Kushina will be, and doubtlessly Kakashi as well. He is going full speed when he is grabbed by a Hyuuga branch member./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;""All shinobi in your age group are being gathered. I must ask you to gather with the rest of your class year immediately."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"The man didn't stick around to see if Obito was following his orders, and Obito certainly was not. He had never been the most order-oriented guy, and certainly not when it involved people he cared about. That was why he went back for Rin on the Kanabi mission, and that was why he was going to go after his team mates now. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"He took care to dodge anyone who would know where he needed to be, and continued at full speed towards the fox. He was only a few hundred meters out when suddenly there was a huge orange paw slamming into the ground directly in front of him. He was knocked backwards, hitting the ground hard on his back. Lying there trying to suck the air back into his lungs, another roar filled the air, this one even more bone rattling then the others, probably because he was right underneath the fox./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"Shit, he was right underneath the fox. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"He scrambled to his feet, and began sprinting away from the foot, on his way into the forest. He could go around, while it was distracted./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"He tried not to think about all the lives and homes that were what was distracting it. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"He could hear screams and shouts behind him and he should have been stopping, should have been fighting, but all he could do was keep going forward, trying to get to the only team he had left. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"Just then an explosion burst out, and Obito was knocked to the ground. He must have blacked out for a while, at least a couple minutes, because when he woke up the area was empty, and there was an eight inch long gash running down his left arm. He moved it and winced, a small yelp coming from his lips. Tearing off a piece of his sleeve, he gingerly wrapped it around the wound. It wasn't bleeding badly enough to warrant any more time then absolutely necessary./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"Suddenly there was a column of blue light shooting from the ground about a hundred feet to his left, just barely visible through the trees. In Obito's experience, if one was looking for either Minato or Kakashi and some weird light appeared, there was a great chance that one or both of them would be the source. It seemed like as good a lead as any./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"Obito took to the trees again. If there was someone still there who meant the village harm, a surprise attack was his best option./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"See, who said he had never taken Kakashi's advice. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"It was a quick dash to the source of the light. It was quickly evident, however, that he was not the only one who had come to find the source. Opposite him, about a hundred meters away, the fox was approaching. It was so fast, so huge. Obito felt himself freeze under its shadow, his limbs numb and mind blank. God, it was huge. Its fangs were bared, it' eyes glowing blood red./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"How could Kushina have contained this?/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"Obito could see the dots of ninja running at the fox, being thrown down or crushed in the tens. By the night's end, if the village was still standing, the standing army would be down a hundred people or more./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"If the village was standing. They had only just made it through the war, and now this. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"They had to make it through the night./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"Shaking his head to clear it, Obito continued at full speed, running towards the light, which seemed to have become a lower block, glowing blue. In less than a minute he was in the trees above the light. Inside were Minato, Kushina, and a small bundle./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"Their child. That was their child down there. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"Before Obito could really register this information, two thing happened at once. The fox picked up speed towards the square of light (a barrier, Obito realized. One encompassing the whole area). Then, a flash of silver, and a familiar scream sounded from a little ways away. Kakashi. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"Obito jumped down, and sprinted to his left. Kakashi came into view, pounding on the wall of the barrier, his voice crying out hoarsely./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;""Sensei! Kushina! Let me in, what are you doing! It's coming! It' coming for you! Get out of there!" Kakashi pounded on the wall, crying out, his voice ragged and pained. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;""Kakashi!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"Kakashi's head whipped to face Obito. His mask had been torn off, and there was a jagged gash running over the right corner of his mouth./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;""Kakashi, what's going on? What happened?" Obito asked, grabbing Kakashi's shoulder. "Kakashi, talk to me!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"Suddenly there was a shout from the inside of the barrier, and Obito turned to look inside. His eyes widened, and his grip tightened on Kakashi's shoulder. Minato and Kushina were still inside, but there was a stone alter in the centre of the field. The baby was on it, naked and crying. In an instant the fox's shadow overtook them both, and Obito was helpless to do anything but stare up at it in horror, fingers digging into Kakashi's shoulder. The fox's massive paw descended into the barrier, moving like lightening to impale Minato and Kushina, who were clutching at it desperately to try and stop it from reaching the baby. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"Kakashi let out a hoarse scream, and all Obito could think was that he had to get inside, they needed him. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"He felt a sharp pain in his head, and suddenly it felt as though his body was being lifted and twisted, everything around him clouded and grey. Before he knew it the world returned, but he realized he was no longer next to Kakashi, but next to the stone alter. Without thinking he dove down and grabbed the baby, clutching it to his chest as he rolled away. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"He jumped to his feet and turned around, the swaddled baby clutched to his chest. He felt the air leave his body all at once, his hands go cold and clammy. Minato and Kushina were slumped like puppets on the fox's claw. Kushina's eyes were glassy and blank. She was gone. Minato looked up on him, and smiled at him through bloody teeth./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"Obito couldn't hear him through the gurgles of blood and wracked lungs, but he read his lips with his Sharingan. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"Take care of him, Obito./span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"As quickly as it had come, the fox disappeared, seeming to erode into the air. Minato and Kushina's bodies feel to the ground into a pool of blood, and the surrounding barrier went down. Obito sprinted towards them and kneeled next to his sensei's battered, lifeless form. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"He wanted to cry out, to say something, anything, but he couldn't. For once in his life, he couldn't speak a word. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"Minato and Kushina were dead. Their newborn child was wrapped in Obito's arms, a mere foot above its parent's corpses. Cradling the baby to his chest with one arm, he reached out with the other and lightly pushed his palm against Minato's face. His skin was cold, and ghastly pale in the moonlight. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;""Sensei?" Obito whispered, voice hoarse, barely audible. "Minato sensei?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"There was no response. There was a zapping sound, and suddenly the barrier was gone. Obito heard multiple footsteps rushing towards him. He recognized Kakashi's chakra as he skidded to a stop next to him. With a choked off breath, the other boy fell heavily to one knee./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;""Sensei?" Kakashi leaned forward, reaching one hand to Minato's chest and one to Kushina's shoulder, lying on her side behind her husband. "Kushina?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"Kakashi shook them both roughly. "Sensei? Minato sensei? Kushina?" Kakashi continued to shake the limp bodies, but to no avail. Minato and Kushina were gone; the prime examples of Konoha's shinobi and the will of fire, the Third Hokage and the greatest Leaf kunoichi of her age both dead, extinguished. Just like Rin, just like Obito's unknown parents. Next to him Kakashi had finally stilled and ceased shouting. He turned to meet Obito's eyes, him own visible one wide with fear. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"Before either of them could speak, half a dozen ANBU had surrounded them. In front of them was the Third Hokage. Obito and Kakashi looked up into the solemn face of Sarutobi Asuma. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"By his sides, all six of the ANBU agents drew into a tight salute. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;""The Fourth Hokage is dead. Long live the Fourth Hokage!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;" /span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;" /span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;" /span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;" /span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;" /span/em/p 


	6. Your Life pt 2

I forgot to upload the last chapter here! Sorry guys. But here you go two chapter in one day.

xxxxxxxxxx

Babies, Obito thought belatedly, were heavy.

Of course, he then supposed, anything was heavy when you had been standing in the hallway of the Hokage mansion for five hours, covered in blood and waiting for your team mate to stop turning into a catatonic killing machine next to you.

Also, he had to pee.

His sensei was dead, Kushina was dead, their new born child was gurgling in his arms, and Obito needed to either piss or scream or punch Kakashi into alertness.

He figured urination was the least damaging option.

"Kakashi, I need you to hold him for a minute." Obito said, shifting to slide the child into Kakashi's arms.

If the guy would ever lift them.

"Kakashi, are you conscious? I said I need you to take him for a minute."

Kakashi blinked once, slowly, as if he had only just been woken up from a dream.

"What?" He finally responded.

Obito bit his tongue, willing himself not to lose his temper.

"I said, I need you to take him. I need to piss."

Kakashi's gaze went from Obito's face to the bundle in his arms.

"You mean…. The child?" He said, sounding unsure.

"Yes, Kakashi. The child. The one I've been holding for the past five hours. I need you to take him, so I can piss, bind my arm, and get some of the blood off of my face. Do you think you can handle that, or do I have to keep being the one who keeps my shit together while you fall apart again?"

Cruel, perhaps, but Obito wasn't feeling particularly patient at that moment. If Minato sensei had been here, he would have found something diplomatic to say to prevent tempers from running short. But he wasn't there, and he never would be, and if Obito didn't move in the next few seconds he was probably going to explode.

Kakashi, in an awkward and uncomfortable fashion, made a cradle shape with his arms for Obito to deposit the baby into. Obito practically sighed with relief.

"Thanks. I won't be long. I assume Lord Sarutobi will come see us soon.

Kakashi nodded faintly, staring down at the baby in his arms, still holding his arms stiff and awkward, like he thought he would break the boy it he were to relax for even a moment. After the events of the day, it wasn't an entirely unreasonable fear.

Once he was fairly certain Kakashi wasn't going to self-implode, Obito made his way around the corner to the bathrooms, which were amazingly still intact and had running water. His life ran on tiny miracles. After releasing his ever suffering bladder, Obito splashed some cold water in his face and began trying to wipe some of the blood off. Checking the wound on his arm, he decided it thankfully wasn't deep enough for stiches or healing jutsu. He just got some fresh gauze out of his small med kit and wrapped it around his arm after cleaning it.

Lifting his face from the messy sink, Obito looked into the mirror. His face appeared gaunt, smeared with remains of dirt and blood, his eyes large and blood shot. Fairly certain no one else was going to come in, he leaned forward on his elbows and released a shuddering breath.

They had survived an entire war. One of the longest and bloodiest wars in all of shinobi history. Three out of four of their team had made it out alive, made it back home. Now, a year later, Minato was dead. Survived the worst war ever seen just to die at home the night of his son's birth.

He had sealed the fox inside of his son. That much was clear. But what now? Would the child be taken into custody? Guarded, so the fox wouldn't escape?

Or would they kill him, put him down like an Anbu gone mad?

No. No way would Obito let that happen. If no one else, they would have to go through him and Kakashi before they could lay a finger on the boy.

So if they didn't kill him or lock him away, what would they do? It wasn't likely that Obito was the only one to figure out the fox had been sealed in him. Obito had a hard enough time as a child, being the illegitimate son of an Uchiha kunoichi and a civilian man, neither of whom he had known. Though Kakashi wouldn't speak of it, Obito knew that people had shunned him as the son of the White Fang. So who could care for the child?

Obito's thoughts were interrupted by a soft, hoarse voice at the door.

Kakashi stood there. Still delicately cradling the baby in his arms. "Lord Sarutobi is here. He wants to see us."

"Right. Okay, yeah, I'll be right there." Obito raised himself uprights, and rubbed at his eyes.

"No, it- it's okay. I can keep holding him. If you want."

Obito blinked at Kakashi. He was holding the baby to his chest, cradling it. Somehow, he seemed less awkward then he had moments before. He was looking down at the baby with a sort of gentleness in his eyes, one Obito had never seen. His grey eye seemed to have softened from cold steel to that of a soft rain, the grey clouds that came in summer. The baby had one hand wrapped around one of Kakashi's scarred, strong fingers.

"Yeah." Obito replied, his voice cracking slightly. "Yeah, sure. Thanks, 'Kashi."

Kakashi looked up at him, surprised. He didn't say anything about Obito's use of Minato's nickname for him. He just turned around, and said; "Let's go."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As it turned out, Lord Sarutobi had not been ready for them at all. They ended up sitting in the Hokage's office, cross legged on the floor against the wall. When the baby started crying, Obito was almost grateful. At least then someone would have to notice they were there.

Or so he thought.

With all the yelling and commotion, no one seemed to notice the screaming infant. So Obito stood up, and tried to get some attention.

"Hey, can we get some help over here?" He said, raising his voice in an attempt to make a dent in the din of the room.

"Hey, we have a crying baby over here!"

No one even turned around.

Obito turned back around to Kakashi. "Alright, this is bullshit. We can't sit here with a crying newborn."

Kakashi raised his eyebrow. "Where are we supposed to go?"

Obito considered that for a moment. Being in a loud, crowded place like this wouldn't do any good. He was probably hungry, having not eaten yet. But where would they get formula? It wasn't like any stores were open.

Oh, right.

"My cousin just had a baby. She's still nursing. I bet she wouldn't mind, and she'll be back at the compound, because she can't leave Sasuke alone."

"You want to ask your cousin to nurse a baby she doesn't even know?"

"He's a baby. She has milk. Our options are limited here, 'kashi." Obito replied. "These assholes are too busy arguing to go help get the wounded off the street, never mind help feed a baby. He needs to eat. Rin told me that babies are supposed to start nursing right away."

Kakashi was quiet for a moment, before replying. "Are you sure it's a good idea to take him outside? We don't know how the fox was sealed in. If others know about it, they could try to hurt him. I don't think he should leave the building. Or be taken to any particular clan."

Obito frowned. "Particular clan? What does that mean?"

"It means that if we take him to the Uchiha it could be interpreted as either favoritism or manipulation on the part of the clan. After all, it's not uncommon knowledge amoung shinobi that the Sharingan can control the tailed beasts."

Obito stilled his fidgeting, and his tone grew colder. "What exactly are you implying, Kakashi? You think the Uchiha have something to do with this? Are you really bringing politics up right now?"

"No, that's not what I mean. I was there, I know it wasn't anyone from the clan. What I'm saying is that other people don't know that. You and I both know that the tensions between the Uchiha and the rest of the village have been rising. I don't want your clan to become a scapegoat. That's all I meant."

"For fuck's sake, you really think that shit matters right now?" Obito exclaimed, his voice just barely rising above the din in the room.

"I'm just trying to think about this logically-"

"Logically?" Obito cut Kakashi off. "Don't try to lecture me about my own clan's affairs, Kakashi, I know them better than you do. Right now I'm prioritizing this child's safety."

"So am I. I don't want some crazed shinobi trying to kill him because of those markings on his face." Kakashi shot back, gesturing to the boy.

Obito looked down at him, then at the baby in his arms. Obito had been thinking it himself not long before. Kakashi was right. The whisker marks stood out clearly against his skin, a practical beacon to anyone seeking revenge on the Kyuubi. Obito leaned back against the wall, and sunk down to the floor to sit beside Kakashi, legs and sides pressed together. For once, Kakashi didn't pull away. The two of them shared contact and body heat as the shared their confusion and grief, there on the floor of the Hokage's office, in the ruins of their village.

Without even thinking, Obito leaned his head onto Kakashi's shoulder. It felt like a natural response- like the two of them had been sharing casual touch for years, rather than hours. Kakashi tensed for a moment, before relaxing. A few seconds later, he tentatively took Obito's hand that was not supporting the baby, squeezing it gently.

Obito clutched the whimpering baby to his chest, and closed his weary, stinging eyes.

Before he knew it, he was asleep.


End file.
